Lost Memories
by Kura and Hana
Summary: Sisters separated by tragedy and brought together by war. While the Pharaoh is going through a time of confusion and Bakura is going through a time of insanity; siblings forced on sides and stand for what they believe is right. hints-YAMIxOC BAKURAxOC
1. Layla

Hana: Now its time for our blast from the past story!

Kura: Like Muto this story was written AGES ago before we actually decided to put it up, and also like Muto, it's not finished

Hana: So we were sort of hoping to get a readers opinion other than the co-authors because both of us are too nice to each other.

Kura: Enjoy this little YuGiOh fanfiction

Hana: And remember that we own nothing of YuGiOh, just the fact that we own our characters

Kura: ONE LAST THING! As your reading the plot seems to repeat itself just a little bit in some places, that is because the points of view change with each chapter. that way both characters are used and we got to experience a new type of writing. ENJOY!

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Lost Memories

**Chapter 1**

-As told by Layla-

I grew up in a small town. It wasn't poor, but it wasn't rich either. For the most part, there was peace. There was never any war and very little fighting. Until one day…

_I raced through a sea of blood and flame as I returned to my house. I shouldn't have left Sheriti the way I did. Our father's last words to us were to protect each other, and thus far I'd done a pretty pathetic job of that. Running off to fight was no way to protect my sister, and I really hoped she was okay._

_"Sheriti! Sheriti are you okay!" I screamed as I clawed my through the wreckage I once called 'home', "Sheriti!"_

_"Layla? Layla help me!" I heard her cry. She screamed more as part of the house collapsed near her._

_I seized her wrist and dragged her from the building. The smoke stung my sensitive, cerulean eyes and ashes singed my long, silvery-white hair as well as my sun-kissed skin. That was probably the most horrific experience in my thirteen-year existence._

_In hindsight, the next thing I did was the most idiotic thing possible: I ran off to help defend my town again. Of course, that was after warning Sheriti not to reveal her true identity to anyone. I thought she'd be safe. When I got back to the town, there were only flames. Flames that consumed all of the dead and their possessions. Suddenly I was grabbed from behind. It was a thief from before. Apparently he wasn't happy that I'd killed off a few of his friends. I wasn't strong enough to fight him, and he was able to disarm me and throw me on his horse. I watched helplessly as my town shrank into the distance._

_It was then that a terrible thought occurred to me. Where was Sheriti? Did she escape the wreckage? It didn't matter, I decided, my sister and I were separated and would probably never see each other again…_

-Five Years Later-

The last five years were somewhat of a blur. The first half-year was spent being used as a slave by the thief who captured me. One night he got really drunk with his buddies and thought I looked like fun. Can you say pedophile? Needless to say, I fought back. Hard. I barely managed to kill him and escape. Later, I met a 15-year-old boy with hair like mine who called himself Bakura. I would never forget the first time I saw his haunted, lavender eyes. It was almost terrifying.

After a while, Bakura taught me the fine art of thievery. At the time, he was just a petty thief, known by few and feared by none, but as time went on he became one of the most skilled and feared thieves in our land. He was the King of Thieves. The knowledge that he taught me everything I knew sent shivers down my spine. I was proud to call him my mentor (though never out loud) despite the arrogance and ego that came with the power he'd obtained.

Eventually, I got better as well and became known as the Thief Queen. Some nasty rumors spread that I got the title by less respectable means. Hah! We silenced them quickly. There was nothing between us. Bakura was simply one of the best friends I'd ever had. He also gave me a new goal in life: to destroy the Pharaoh. A year or so ago, I had managed to get him to open up a little and he told me of the fate of a little town called Kul Elna. _His_ little town of Kul Elna. It never ceased to piss me off. The thought that the Pharaoh could just...gah! I'm getting worked up again! I'll just shut up with the narration and get on to the important part.

* * *

I looked around the late Pharaoh's tomb and examined a few jewels, "Not bad…"

Adorning a few select pieces of jewelry, I yawned and threw my black cloak on. That robbery was far too easy, and I wasn't even allowed to take all that much. I left the dusty old tomb and mounted my black stallion. The other thieves followed suit and with that, we were off. Of course, my mount was faster than all of the other horses because he was just that good...it helped that he carried nothing save for me though.

Boredom quickly overtook me and began to drive me insane, so I headed up to have a chat with my favorite King of Thieves. If I couldn't start a conversation I'd just find some way to annoy him. That'd was always fun! Sure, he would threaten to kill me and maybe injure me a bit, but what's life without a little danger?

"Baaakuuuraaa," I whined.

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm boooored!"

"Well, find a way to entertain yourself until we get there!"

"Okay!"

Nimbly, I leaped from my horse to his and sat behind him. It was a skill I was particularly proud of, because it was difficult and took years to master. Once I finished congratulating myself on a job well done, I proceeded to poke Bakura in the back of the head. It didn't take long to tick him off.

"What the?"

"I'M ENTERTAINED!"

He growled and shoved me off the back of his speeding horse. I landed on my butt with a thud. Despite popular belief, sand never cushioned falls well.

"Hey! Anyone other than me could be seriously hurt from that!" I yelled after him. My horse, Seth, came up beside me and let me remount him. Then we sped off after the notorious Thief King, "That was not very nice!"

He gave me a 'No, really? Why do you think I did it?' look and said, "You're fine, now shut up."

I was quiet for a few minutes before saying, "Soooo, are we there yet?"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?" Bakura growl.

"I was just asking a question!" I yelled.

A few minutes later we repeated the process. And then again…and again…and again…and again…and I think you know where I'm going with this. It ended with Bakura threatening to tie me up and leave me dangling over a pit filled with asps. As you can imagine, I finally shut up.

It was late when we reached the village around the palace. We wasted no time in raiding it, terrifying the citizens, and setting it aflame. Well, the idiot gang of thieves and Bakura did that. I refused to burn homes to the ground. I always had and I always would. On top of that, the only people that I killed were the Pharaoh's guards and any of Bakura's cronies that decided to piss me off. Bakura gave me all kinds of crap because of it, saying I was too soft. I would kick him in the gut and tell him to shut up after that, and we'd end up in an all-out brawl.

However, I decided that at the moment it would probably be better to kill the soldiers so that's what I did. As soon as Bakura and I neared the palace, I had to hop off Seth and start killing more guards to make a clear path. Of course, Bakura was too impatient to wait so he cleared his own path via his horse and left me to make quick work of the rest. He was such a jerk, making me do his dirty work! Using my irritation to my advantage, I finished with them quickly I raced after my comrade. I caught up with him just as he was about to kick open a big door. Stopping him for a second, I found out what he wanted me to do next.

"Stand guard and kill anyone who tries to enter," he told me before proceeding with breaking and entering.

"Sounds simple enough," I muttered to myself.

Too bad very few guards came so I was quite bored. After maybe ten minutes, I stepped into the throne room to spy on the chaotic battle taking place inside. It was going as planned, Bakura was winning. Then something strange happened. The Pharaoh stepped forward and summoned a god! It was huge! Easily as big as Bakura's Diabound! He called it by the name, Obelisk the Tormentor.

The two gargantuan creatures attacked at the same time. The blasts canceled each other out and left their masters winded and tired. I closed my eyes and quickly chanted a spell that sent some of my energy to Bakura. In doing so, I made my presence known to all of the others who were far too oblivious to notice that another stranger had barged into the room.

"This isn't over Pharaoh!" he growled before he ranted at a priest he called Mahado about how the Millennium Ring, as well as the rest of the items, would soon belong to him. Then he said, "Come Kanika," and took off on his horse without even looking at me. I didn't even get a 'thanks for saving my worthless, high-and-mighty butt'.

Before I left, I spotted a girl that looked very familiar. She had raven hair and crimson eyes and greatly resembled my sister. But she couldn't possibly be her, she more than likely died all those years ago. I shook my head and took off on Seth to catch up with the Thief King.

Later when we got to the camp I was seriously frustrated that I couldn't figure out where I'd seen that girl before. She was familiar, and kept bringing me back to my dead sister! It put me in a very bad temper. I just couldn't figure out who she was! The more I thought about it the more I thought that she might be my long-lost sister who may have possibly survived. Every time I thought that, I had to crush that hope so I didn't do anything stupid, which lead me down the spiral. So I just stalked off to my tent, even though I wished I could be in my secret chambers at home. The hideout was much better than the desert. My frustration wasn't helped when I received catcalls from some of the drunken idiots at the fire who were done for the day. They made my mood worsen by the second.

Unfortunately, they continued talking about me after I went into my tent and I could hear them all the way across camp. Pretty soon I'd had enough. I grabbed one of my daggers and exited the tent to beat them senseless. Too bad Bakura got there first. He told them to shut it or they'd die. After all, the men were totally expendable since I didn't even know any of their names. They were only useful when I knew who they were.

I wish I knew why Bakura had told them off, though. I doubted it was because they were talking about me the way they were. More than likely, it was because they were extremely loud. The Pharaoh's soldiers could have easily found us if they weren't incompetent.

"Aww, why'd you have to do that 'Kura?" I asked in a whiny tone, "I wanted to beat them senseless."

"Should've gotten there faster then," he teased.

I glared at him for a minute before summoning my sword with shadow magic, "Shall we spar for the right to beat your men up?"

He chuckled lightly before drawing his own blade, "Just so you know, I'm always allowed to beat up my men. _You_ are the one who needs special permission."

I stuck out my tongue and made the first move. We matched each other blow for blow for the first part of the fight, but with my energy loss earlier in the day I started to slow up. Suddenly Bakura knocked my sword out of my grasp, and the momentum made my tumble to the ground. So it was decided that I wasn't allowed to kill the useless drunkards. That made me kind of mad again, but there wasn't much I could do since Bakura had a little more authority than me. What a shame.

I stalked back to my tent and decided to try to get some sleep as it was nearing midnight. I fell asleep almost immediately. The day's events had really worn me out.


	2. Sheriti

Kura: Hoped you like Chapter 1

Hana: Wouldn't they want nothing to do with chapter 2 if they did?

Kura: They could be seeing more to see if they want to read any further...I mean we did warn them that this was a different pint of view this chapter.

Hana: Good point...

Kura: Enjoy chapter 2!

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**Chapter 2**

-As Told by Sheriti-

"Are you OK?" some person with a wacky red, gold, and black hair-do asked. His purple eyes starring down at me like two daggers.

"WHA?" I opened my eyes fully after blinking several times. Then I shot up breathing heavily. I was in golden room lit up by candles in the doorway entrance. I didn't recognize anything, especially the boy looking at me.

"You don't need to worry you're in the palace." The guy said. His eyes grew kinder, easier, somehow. "What's your name?"

"My name?" I looked at the golden room repeating the question more then once in my head, _my name?_ It seemed I had amnesia for a while until it seemed like a million images of what happened earlier that day…or night…or whatever, flashed in my head.

_Oh that's right...the fire!_

-Flashback-

_Fire was everywhere! The town was burning and Layla was talking to me...what was it that she said? Oh right…_

Layla was gone. And I was "protecting" the house. Quotes there because I can't protect even my life! So why Layla left like that is beyond me.

I was pretty safe. There was still a roof over my head, no fire burning me to a crisp…yet. That is, until the thugs who were burning down the town found that they left this house alone. Next thing I knew, the house was all in flames and I was in the middle of it.

Suddenly before I could get out, the house collapsed and I was caught behind a huge piece of wood unable to escape.

My tan face was covered in dirt. I tried getting out, but suddenly I heard Layla's voice cry out my name.

"Sheriti! Sheriti? Where the heck are you!" she called out.

I tried to yell out something but the smoke was clogging my throat. All I could do is cough out "Layla". Next thing, the wood was gone. A hand reached down and pulled me up and out, to my feet by my wrist.

"You okay?" she asked looking around making sure no one else was there. Then she looked into my eyes with her shining blue ones.

Coughing, I nodded and looked up at Layla. She was dirtied up too, but had some cuts to go along with it.

"I'm going again!" Layla pulled on a heavy tunic that hadn't been destroyed yet, and was heading out what used to be the bedroom door.

"B-b-but"

"Listen you can't stop me! They're taking our town down and SOMEONE has to stop them!" Layla looked me fiercely in the eye and saw that mine were flooding with tears. "I'll be back! Don't worry...but if you do get captured-" My eyes grew wider and the tears left clean streaks down my cheeks. Layla looked shocked knowing she put the wrong words out in the open. "T-THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET CAPTURED GOT IT, SHERITI!" I tried stopping the tears, but when that failed I just nodded. "I'm just saying if you do you make up a name. NO TELLING ANYONE YOUR REAL NAME!" I nodded some more.

With that, she dragged me out of the door and shoved me into an alley way where there was no buildings...nothing but desert.

"Run! Make sure you don't get caught! Meet me out of this town we have to get out of here."

When that was said and done, I didn't get to reply to anything at all or ask any questions. All I could do was stand there and watch her go to battle.

_I started to run. After that…I don't remember that much…_

-END-

"Do you remember your name?" The boy asked once more.

I jumped. Suddenly I remembered I was actually in the presence of someone and was being completely rude by daydreaming like that. Then again…I needed to do that again for a name…_my name? _I asked in my head again but this time it was because I needed to come up with a fake one…_name, _"Err...its Kakra" I said the first thing that came to mind, that was actually a name.

"I see." he smiled.

"My sister, did you get my sister?" I asked

"Your sister?" he asked trying to help me as I attempted to stand up to look out the window. I refused the offer and just looked out the window towards the town. I didn't recognize it. Where was I? Where was Layla?

"I was supposed to meet her. She went off to battle the thugs that burnt down our town. She-she-she said-she said she'd come back," I hesitated. I was telling all this to a stranger that I didn't know anything about, other than that he was at the bedside when I woke up and he was really nice. He had a weird hair-do too…but I wouldn't say that aloud.

"You should sit down." He said, suddenly gloomy.

"Why? Where's my sister?"

"Everyone in the town you were found next to…was dead"

I froze. Layla dead? That's not right! She was the strongest person I knew. She couldn't be dead! No. I felt tears come to my eyes and I plopped down on the bed and started bawling.

"I'm sorry." The boy said. We both said nothing more. I was too busy crying in my hands. Hiding my face. Wishing I was there, with her. The boy just sat there comforting me by doing nothing…yeah I know, I got confused too, all I can say is that it helped a little just knowing he didn't run when I was in pain.

We, Atemu and I (Atemu being the wacky haired, purple-eyed boy), ended up growing up together. When five years had passed his father, the Pharaoh, died and he became the Pharaoh, meaning I could call him nothing but Pharaoh from now on. Luckily, before the Pharaoh's dad (never really knew his name) died, he placed me as Shimon's assistant, and I begged to be a pupil of Mahado, one of the best wizards in the palace. I do admit it's not that big of a position, but at least I still got to stay in the palace with Ate-err-the Pharaoh.

Everything went fine and dandy for about the first ten minutes. But then he fell asleep standing on the balcony.

"Um...Pharaoh?" He flickered his eyes open "Pharaoh are you alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine, but, can you tell me where we are?"

"Uh...the palace. Are you sure you're alright?" I helped him to his throne room when he didn't answer.

Suddenly he noticed everyone staring at him. As in his guardians. "Huh? Isuzu, Kaiba, Grandpa?" He said looking at Isis, Seto, and Shimon...

"Pharaoh...you should probably go lay down before the ceremony?" I suggested

Shimon, however, wouldn't accept it. "NONSENSE! All the Pharaoh needs is some refreshments. Would you go get some Kakra?"

"Um...yes sir." I went and got the water and brought it to the Pharaoh.

"Thank you miss" Pharaoh said taking the glass.

"Um...no problem."

After complaining that there was nothing to do, Shimon took me out of the room into the market to prepare things for what ever we were doing. That's when I did what I swore I would not do in front of the Pharaoh (because he was so good to me). I threw a huge tantrum.

"Since when does he call me miss...I've known him for five years and he all of a sudden calls me miss? I swear the nerve of that guy!"

"I'm sure he's just got the case of the jitters" Shimon suggested as we walked back from the market place.

"He called you Grandpa..."

"Again the jitters my dear...the jitters."

_Sheesh he won't take no for an answer...the old geezer!_ I heard a noise, galloping maybe, up above the town up in the desert hills. I quickly turned and caught a very quick glimpse of a horse's tail, but it disappeared as soon as I looked.

"Are you coming Kakra?" Shimon, who was just entering the palace gates, looked over. I turned around and stared at him, his purple eyes penetrating mine through his stupid mask thing he always wore when he went outside or was in public. It was quite annoying actually.

"Did you...see...or hear...or..."

"You getting the jitters now are you? We'll go in and clear the jitters out of this palace. Although I don't see why you'd have them..." his voice faded as he headed deep within the palace walls. I looked back at the hills. They were clear and as silent as they could be _I've got a bad feeling about this..._ I thought before I headed into the palace.

The dancers were, well, dancing and all kinds of fun was going around. I stood next to the pharaoh's throne and watched the festivities, tapping my skirt down like I did every time I was in front of a lot of people. It was all somewhat amusing, until someone suddenly decided it would be fun to try to assassinate the Pharaoh.

Isis's Millennium Necklace lit up. "Mahado!" Mahado blocked what looked like a poison dart from hitting the pharaoh. I hid behind the throne. Heroically, of course.

"Kakra the Pharaoh needs a scaredy cat right now!" Shimon said trying to pull me out, "Now get out."

While this was going on they were holding a trial for the prisoner. I saw one of these before and I hated it. It was barbaric...to see it again; I didn't know what I would do with myself. Why couldn't we just let them rot in prison, where people **couldn't **see it?

"NO LET GO OF ME!" I growled, or whined what ever you want to say, "I hate watching these and you know it!"

"Its fine, leave her be." the pharaoh said looking at Shimon.

Shimon then left me alone to hide behind the pharaoh, again heroically. _Well at least that part is still there...his telling the people to leave me be!_ I peeked around the corner of the throne to see that the guy was being taken away. _Phew at least **that's** over!_ I got out of hiding spot and stood next to the pharaoh once more.

Mahado came up and stood next to me. This was of course telling security to tighten up for the festivities and what not. "It's very embarrassing to watch one of my students hide behind the pharaoh at the face of danger."

"Sorry sir…" I hung my head in shame "I'm not the bravest of your students. You especially should know that."

"Let the festivities of the pharaoh continue-" Seto now started when Isis stopped him "What is it now?"

"My Millennium Necklace senses a great evil just outside the walls...there are two sources of it!"

"W-w-what does that mean?" I asked shaken up, just a tad. I mean the trial we had just didn't do it so this could, I supposed.

"It means we're in trouble." Shada said, holding up the conversation. _Trouble…DUH!_

"But how is there another danger we just had one! And Mahado tightened up security..." I continued cautiously

"That is true." Mahado said "but you can't be too sure with what has been going on. My millennium ring has been acting strangely as of late."

"How so?" Pharaoh asked intrigued, and trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

Suddenly Mahado's Ring went haywire and was glowing like mad. He said it meant that a great evil was coming, but didn't Isis say there were two sources? Every word that was spoken there and then became more and more blurred in my memory, until a guy named Bakura whistled for his horse and tied to the horse was the previous Pharaoh!

I came out from behind the thrown and looked at the previous pharaoh, I tried with all my might to summon up Eria but couldn't get her to come out, no matter how many spells I tried to cast. Mahado just stepped in front of me when he found that I was getting closer and closer to Bakura with out me even realizing it. All I wanted to do was hurt him for going into the previous pharaoh's tomb!

After that I just remember the Pharaoh standing up in rage yelling at Bakura. I stood next to Isis who had fallen from protecting the Pharaoh. Then something happened, well a lot of things happened but two that I can really remember. One was seeing the girl that was on Bakura's side...she looked familiar but I couldn't exactly tell who it was, or how I'd known her.

The second thing that burned into my memory was that the prophecy was now happening. I remember when I first came into being part of the Pharaoh's court...or an assistant of someone and a pupil of another on the court. Master Shimon told me of a prophecy that the greatest pharaoh of them all would one day call upon the Egyptian gods and bestow the peace in Egypt…or something like that.

Well it wasn't exactly peaceful per se. The Pharaoh summoned one of the Egyptian gods and a bright light rose from the palace, from both the Egyptian God and Bakura's monster, Diabound.

"They-they're equal!"

"IMPOSSIBLE! THEIR POWER IS EQUAL!" Seto yelled as both monsters fell back _Y__eah…I just said that!_

"Well Pharaoh I better be going," Bakura announced, then looked at Mahado and told him not to grow too fond of the necklace and the others that the items were destined to fall into his hands. "Come Kanika!" He said then he and the girl left.

"We mustn't let him escape!" The whole royal court went after them. Well all except Shimon and me…The Pharaoh went running to the Balcony.

"PHARAOH!" I yelled chasing after him. Then I saw the city. It was up in flames. _No not again NOT AGAIN! _I went and almost collapsed on the Pharaoh from tripping over, and I refused to look on the town. The last thing I saw was the guards' attempt to stop Bakura and the girl whose name was Kanika.

"What's that in the sky?"

Shimon, Mahado, who followed us to make sure the pharaoh didn't get killed, and I looked up. "What? What are you talking about Pharaoh?"

"N-nothing" he dropped the subject. Then the other two left and the Pharaoh turned to me. "You know that girl looked strikingly familiar to you..." _Huh?_

"M-ME?" I said surprised as we walked back into the palace. "H-h-how does she look like me? WE LOOKED NOTHING ALIKE!" I denied all possibilities of me looking like a bad guy. And besides that I have BLACK hair and she had WHITE hair…NOTHING ALIKE!

"Do you have a sister, Kakra?" Isis came in to the conversation, along with the rest of the court. _What's these guys' problem? And weren't they all chasing Bakura four minutes ago?_

"Y-y-yes...but she's dead." I said looking down on the ground. "She died when our village burned down."

The court said nothing. Then the pharaoh put his hand on my shoulder and lightly whispered in my ear, "I'm sorry" _There now he's back to normal...sort of..._Mahado stopped the pharaoh and said something along the lines of "We've got to get going" and showed the way out of the main hall area of the palace.

"I'M COMING TOO!" I yelled chasing after them.

Mahado turned around as if he were disgusted at what I just said. He simply wouldn't hear of it. "Kakra, you need to stay here. You mustn't bother the pharaoh this isn't your fun and games anymore he needs to run all of Egypt."

I sighed. And looked Mahado in the eye. "You can give me that speech about 100 times and I still won't listen to it you know. The pharaoh took me in and I owe my life to him. So where he goes I follow, if you don't mind that is."

"I do mind! You can get hurt and your magic is the weakest."_ Gee thanks teach!_

"Mahado let her come. I'm sure she can handle coming plus she has you to help her." Pharaoh said smiling at me. _Ha I win I win I win I win! _I sang in my head then followed the Pharaoh and Mahado in the direction of the bedchambers.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pot move. I stopped and stared at it.

"What is it Kakra? You need to come with us." Mahado instructed. I ignored him and continued to stare at the pot like it has magic powers or something.

"There's something in there" I said stepping further away from the pot. "Something big..." the pharaoh stepped forward and out popped Mana, who landed on the Pharaoh. Yelling and screaming and giving me a headache as usual. But hey, that's what friends are for, right?

Mahado went on yelling and I went on saying my hellos and hugging Mana. Then the pharaoh went back to being all weird again.

"You're Mana. And we grew up together."

"Jeez you forget about me already it's only been one day." She said a little hurt.

"Don't worry Mana, it isn't your fault," I whispered in her ear. "He's a little lost in his mind." I informed her. She let out a big "OH" and smiled to the pharaoh.

Then Mahado went on with his useless lectures again on how Mana did a wrong thing on freezing the guards (I didn't blame him), but then he directed some of the yelling to me. I had no idea why, because the gods know I didn't do anything...well except hide behind the pharaoh…heroically, disobey my master, called his lectures stupid, and well called the Pharaoh crazy..._heh heh whoops_.

"Mana, Kakra, You two, GO TO BED! NOW!" Mahado said just a _wee_ bit angry. So Mana and I said good-bye to the Pharaoh and the angry Mahado and ran out of there, tripping over each other in the process, before Mahado could get any more angry with us.

_RUN!_


	3. Layla 2

Hana: Okay so I WAS going to put it up two chapters at a time...but I'm too lazy for that

Kura: It is not that hard

Hana: Well apparently you forget how far my laziness goes!

Kura: I guess...

Hana: So here's chapter 3 just because and four will be up whenever I have time/feel like doing it :P

Kura: enjoy the lack of updates from all mighty lazy butt

Hana: HEY!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

-As told by Layla-

_It took a few days for Bakura to fully recover his Ba from the fight. When he did, boy was he ready to kill something. I forced him rest (except for our spar) until he had fully recovered, but he would have none of it. Only the combined forces of Kiya (our medicine woman/healer and another friend of mine) and myself managed to convince him to rest. In other words, we threatened to completely destroy his favorite, red coat/cloak thing. To further convince him we also said we'd steal the Millennium Items before him and melt them and turn them into something completely useless. We would've done it too, and Bakura knew that._

_Anyway, now that he'd recovered, Bakura was out stalking the Priest, Mahado. Wait! That came out wrong! He was following Mahado so he could trap him and challenge him to a shadow duel and steal him Millennium Ring. There, that's better._

_Bakura had some sort of strange "attachment", as he called it, to the Millennium Ring. Since Mahado had it, he was the first target. Poor fellow. Being on Bakura's hit list _can't _be fun. It's a shame he has to be the first to die. I always thought he'd seemed to be one of the nicer, not-as-pompous-and-stuck-up priests. Unlike Seto, for example. I wanted Seto to be Bakura's target, but nooooo._

I rode with the idiot thieves behind Bakura. He had asked me to disguise myself as one of them and help fight off the ambushes that we're likely to happen. Unfortunately, it was more of a command and I had to do as I was told.

The short trip to where-ever-Mahado-was-going was spent daydreaming. What? I was bored! Naturally, Bakura cut my daydreaming short. The Almighty Drama King collapsed the cave wall. (note: she didn't know that he actually _didn't_ collapse the cave wall, but just worked that into his plans anyway.)

"COULD HE BE ANY DUMBER! Oh hey look! The other men are getting attacked! Wait, that's bad innit? Dang! Me no wanna save them!" I mentally ranted.

I sighed and leapt into battle. The Pharaoh's guards we're no match for me. It was easy to slay them. Too bad we're the bad guys, so things rarely (if ever) go our way. What I mean by this is that the Pharaoh decided to grace us with his presence, along with my (not so) favorite Priest.

"The Pharaoh and Priest Seto are here! We need to leave!" one of the men cried.

"What about Bakura?" I yelled, "We can't just leave him here!"

"He'll be fine! Look, he's already won the duel!" he replied.

Sure enough, the large, stone tablet depicted the Priest Mahado, not our favorite King of Idiots. I nodded and gave the signal to retreat. Guilt and worry slowly consumed me with each step my horse took. My mind was made up.

"I'm going back for Bakura," I announced while dismounting, "Take care of Seth."

"But-" a thief protested.

"No buts. You will do as I say am I clear?" I ordered sternly.

He nodded and with that I turned on my heel and raced back to the small valley. Using the thieving skills I'd acquired, I crept silently past everyone and over to the landslide.

"Hm, ya know if this whole thief thing doesn't work out I could be an awesome ninja!" I mused in my head.

I scaled the rock pile swiftly and began to remove the troublesome boulders. Of course, with my luck, nothing ever goes quite as planned. A rather large boulder slipped and went crashing to the ground below. I cringed and shrank back into the shadows, but a bit too late. Seto had spotted me, and was shouting orders for my capture.

"Crap! Dig faster! Dig faster!" I screamed in my mind as I heaved a rock possibly twice my weight (which isn't _that_ much mind you). I heard a yelp and couldn't help but grin, "I think I hit Seto!"

"Duos get him!" I heard the angry priest shriek.

"Grrr. _Why_ does _everyone_ assume I'm a _guy_? Girls can steal too dang it!" I seethed, "Hiita, teach this fool a lesson!"

Hiita, my ka, is a girl with reddish-brown hair. She wears a green, cloak-like thing, a black and white mini skirt, a black tube-top-like shirt, and black and white knee-length boots. With her was a small orange and white fox. Her weapon is an awesome fire staff. I want that staff!

Anyway, Hiita obliterated Duos after a brief struggle only to be met by another creature. I was a bit too preoccupied at the time to look at Hiita's opponent. If I had, I would've noticed that it was a god. But I didn't because some guards had come up and tried to capture me, but I wasn't about to let that happen.

A shriek of surprise escaped my lips as an attack from one of the opposing monsters came my way. I leapt to another boulder just as the one I'd been one was turned to dust. The rock I was standing on shuddered and began to slide.

"CRAP! Why do the Gods hate me? Oh yeah, I'm on Bakura's side…CRAP!" I thought as I fell.

As I was about to have Hiita come to catch me, someone beat her to it. You might know the guy. He's tall, arrogant, hears a long white skirt, and a funny, tall, blue hat. He goes by the name of Seto.

"Lemme go you pompous, arrogant, son of a jackal!" I snarled at him while squirming like crazy.

"I don't think so," he growled.

"_You think?_" I gasped in feigned surprise.

He continued on as if I never spoke, "You're an outlaw and therefore you must be tried."

"Do your worst!" I spat while kicking him where Ra-don't-shine.

He whimpered while I took off. Suddenly, I felt a serious blow to my Ba. I looked over to Hiita and saw her badly injured having just dodged a blow from Slifer the Sky Dragon!

"Crap! Hiita retreat!" I cried just in time.

My ka stood in front of me to protect me, but I told her to disappear. She did, reluctantly.

Out of nowhere, my _favorite_ priest grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back. I cried out as he twisted them painfully.

"Let me go!" I demanded.

"No," he sneered, "We have a little score to settle."

"Please! Please let me go!" I pleaded.

"Ra, now I'm pleading with him! But I need to get to Bakura!" I thought.

"I have to get Bakura out!" I wailed, "Please, you have to let me go!"

Needless to say, Seto was shocked. He obviously thought I was pleading for my own life.

"Please…" I whimpered with tears running down my cheeks.

"Seto, you're hurting her! Let her go!" some guy with insane hair said.

"But Pharaoh, she's a criminal!" skirt-boy protested, "She's with Bakura!"

Luckily, his grip loosened and I managed to jerk away. Some of the others there went to protect the Pharaoh from me, but it didn't matter. It wasn't the Pharaoh I cared about. I shot passed all of them and continued to try and dig Bakura out. This left them all astounded.

"BAKURA! BAKURA IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, SAY SOMETHING!" I screamed, but got no response, "BAKURA!"

"Ra! He's not dead is he? He can't be dead! He can't…" I thought hopelessly.

I felt me knees give out and my body fall. Inside I was completely numb. My brain was working in slow motion. I knew what was happening. I felt my wrists get tied up. Yet I couldn't bring myself to do anything about it. I was able to function again when I heard the words "Millennium Trial".

That was _not_ good. Bakura told me what happens in a Millennium Trail that's a success and I didn't sound fun. I wanted to chip in now. "Hey freak-with-the-hat, don't you need the Millennium Key and scales to do the trial?" I asked.

"How does she know?" the freak-with-the-hat asked the Pharaoh.

"Hey! I'm still here!" I growled in Seto's ear. Yes, I was stuck riding behind him on his horse, and I _wasn't_ enjoying it.

"Shut up!" he hissed, "I'm painfully aware of that."

I glared at the back of his hat for the rest of the trip. Once we got to the palace, we immediately started to go to the Throne Room.

"This way," Seto said, pushing me in the correct direction.

"_Don't touch me, F-W-T-H!_" I snarled, "_I probably know this place better than you!_"

"F-W-T-H?" F-W-T-H asked.

"Freak-with-the-hat," came my smart-alack answer.

At this he looked quite irritated, and shoved me again. I ignored him and walked calmly toward the throne room, remembering Bakura's advice.

_"Don't go down without a fight, but don't make a fool out of yourself, if you get caught. If anything, keep your cool. That'll anger them the most," he said._

_"Right," I agreed._

_"Oh, and if you _do_ get caught, I'll come save your sorry butt," he smirked._

_"My hero!" came my sarcastic reply._

I smirked as I walked into the large room.

"Pharaoh! Thank Ra! What happened?" some girl with black hair and blue eyes (Isis) asked frantically.

The Pharaoh bowed his head at this.

"He's dead," I answered the unasked question for the Pharaoh, "Bakura killed him."

The woman gasped and got a sad look on her face.

"_Shut up wench!_" Seto growled and struck me across the face.

On instinct, I rolled when I hit the floor and flipped back into a standing position. He glared at me and I glared right back.

"What was that for? It's not _my _fault he was dumb enough to fight Bakura!" I yelled.

"Don't insult Master Mahado!" the girl with black hair and red eyes cried.

"Stay out of this Kakra," Seto hissed.

"Hey, let her stand up for what she wants, F-W-T-H!" I defended the girl, which surprised many people.

"_Stop calling me that!" _he yelled.

"Freak with the hat," I said, accenting every word.

He looked about ready to kill me. Wait 'til he sees what I do next.

"Who are you?" the same girl asked. This played into my hands perfectly.

"Kanika, Queen of Thieves, at your service," I said with a flourished bow.

"What the? How did you get untied?" Seto yelped in shock

"A magician _never_ reveals her secrets," I said cryptically.

"_You're_ a magician?" he asked.

"Nope!" I said innocently as Hiita's fox disappeared. It had chewed through the ropes, hence how I was free. I love foxes! They're so helpful!

"Seto, why did you bring this girl here?" some bald guy (Shada) asked.

"She's with Bakura. She needs to be tried," he answered trying to calm down.

"I wouldn't if I were you," I said.

"Well you're not me," he retorted.

"Fine, but it's your funeral. Not that I care."

"_Why_ don't I want to do that?"

"Because if I'm harmed you'll be facing the Thief King's wrath."

"The Thief King is dead!"

"So you say."

"Yes! So I say!"

"Is there really any point to this argument?"

He glowered at me and ordered Kalim to start the trial. He did, hesitantly.

His scales went haywire, like they did for Bakura. Surprise, surprise. I've known him long enough, he _must've _rubbed off at least a little bit. Next Shada (Yes, I knew who they were. I was just smart like that.) used his key to see into my soul. Whatever he saw, it surprised him. I tapped into his mind with magic (so I lied about not being a magician) and saw what he saw.

There were lots of flames, both white and red. In the midst of the flames was Hiita, crying with her fox. Hiita and I were close and more often than not, she reflected my emotions. I'd seen enough, my soul was too depressing right now. I quickly retreated back to my own mind.

"Well, what do you see, Shada," Hat-boy demanded.

"Sorrow," he stated simply.

Hat-boy rolled his eyes and took out his Millennium Rod.

"Seto, you can't be serious!" the Pharaoh exclaimed.

He was serious all right. Some servant had already brought a gimundous tablet. Seto said something that I didn't catch and I felt a huge wave of pain.

My vision went black for brief moment, before I saw Hiita. She was in her most powerful form and was struggling to make her way towards me. Our screams melded as she was ripped away.

At that instant, my vision returned to normal. Hiita was in the Throne Room attempting to stay away from the tablet.

'Hiita, attack the jerk with the hat,' I mentally ordered.

She got the message and sent Shakir, her fox, at him. Obviously, having a cute, little fire-fox flying at him was a surprise for Seto because he toppled over quite comically. He also broke his concentration and lost his hat. Big mistake.

"Hiita now!" I called. She and Shakir went back into their familiar possessed form and ran straight at me.

'Three…two…one…NOW!'

I released a burst of magic at just the right moment. The strange sensation of having two minds returned as unpleasantly as it always did. (Hiita was an intelligent being, and therefore has a mind so when she's resting wherever the non-tablet Kas go, I could feel her mind in the back of mine. It used to give me a major headache.)

In my mind I heard Hiita ask if we wanted to use _that_ technique. I told her yes and the process was started. As soon as it did, a whirlwind of white flames erupted out of nowhere. It left as suddenly as it appeared. The court was shocked at what they saw, which didn't surprise me one bit. I'd seen what I looked like and it was pretty strange.

My hair gained red streaks and I grew a pair of fox ears, fangs, and a fox tail. I was holding Hiita's staff and had a few white flames remaining around me.

I smirked at the Pharaoh's Court, "Don't underestimate me. I'm not the Queen of Thieves for nothing."

I was about to attack when something hard hit me in the back of the head. Then all I saw was black…


	4. Sheriti 2

Hana: well...here's the next part of the last chapter, enjoy :D

**Chapter 4**

-As Told by Sheriti-

After Mahado forced Mana and I to go to our rooms, and bed, I just ended up laying there for half the night staring up at the ceiling racking my brain for answers. The girl's image was stuck in my head. But I swear I know her from somewhere. Who was she?

Then the Isis mentioned my sister, Layla. I know she's dead, the pharaoh said so 5 years ago, but…what did, or does, she look like? The girl in the throne room earlier this evening had bright blue eyes that seemed to pierce into you and get answers easily and white hair, with a bit of blue shining it up. Is that what Layla looked like?

_WHY THE HECK CAN'T I REMEMBER WHAT LAYLA LOOKED LIKE?_ I screamed that question a total of a million times before my eyes actually got droopy enough for me to sleep.

I think I worried so much that I DID sleep. I closed my eyes and drifted off to once upon a dream where your heart takes control and you just follow what it says. Where I could relax for more then 5 minutes.

-Dream Land-

_"Run, run away from here, from the fire. Away from town and wait…"_

The words went through my head like a broken tape recorder, which my head always seemed to be, playing over and over and over in my head as I ran away from where the town was getting burnt to a crisp.

Those were Layla's last words to me before saw her run to battle for the umpteenth time. I sighed when I came to a spot, _this should be far en-_ I was in the middle of thinking when I heard a horse gallop. It got closer and closer.

Scared out of my mind, I turned and ran the opposite way…the way I WASN'T supposed to go, back towards town.

But in reality you really couldn't dream about beating a horse in a foot race…or a grown man on a horse in a foot race. The man was wearing a tan mask and had pitch black eyes that were like little black beads starring down on a rag doll. When he saw the rag doll he wanted, also known as me, two tiny indentations were formed around where his lips would go, as if he were smiling. _Great…!_

He jumped off his horse and tackled me to the ground. Luckily he only managed to knock me down but not get on top of me. I scrambled back up and tried to run away but the horse ran in front of me. The man grabbed me by the arms and twisted them behind me in a painful way so I couldn't move them with out breaking one of them, or so it felt.

I know this because I moved every which way to try to get loose. Unfortunately the more I moved the more pain I got and the tighter his grip got on me. As soon as I stopped long enough to manage to take a look-see at who had me exactly, I wanted to scream.

I recognized the outfit as one of the thugs that was burning down our village. I tried, I really did (not), but I couldn't hold it…I screamed out the first, and only person that I knew would come help me.

"LAYLA!"

"Shut your mouth!" the thug kicked my back and causing me to fall in the sand.

"M-make-" I was going to sound as brave as Layla but the stuttering sounded so much better…so much more, me! Plus I screwed it up with the stuttering, so I shut up.

More horses came up from the background. _Ahhhh!_ I started to scream in my head. _His friends! He brought his friends!_ The wailing continued, as the horses became closer and closer.

But it was the opposite for sure. These horses belonged to the people that were apart of the Pharaoh's Court. One of them was in a long; it looked like a pale tan, cloak type thing. It covered his head. He kept shouting out orders that I couldn't quite make out and then the guards started fighting off the thug. Oh I wish that would have worked!

The thug was too big a chicken to fight for himself so he had to use me as a shield. The guy in the light tan cloak told them to not attack until I was safely down but if the thug started to run for it attack at will. The last part of the sentence scared the crud out of me. Especially since the guy did run for it. Shoving me up on the horse and riding away. No hope for me what so ever.

Tears streaked my dirt face and reveled my skin as I whaled and yelled out…sadly nothing came out when the yelling started. I continued to try. I think the horse could hear me.

All of the sudden the horse went haywire and bucked both of us. I tumbled off its back and into a rock. When getting to the rock I simply just snuck behind it hoping the hugeness of it would cover my body so the thug wouldn't see me.

IT WORKED! The thug ran off, after the horse. The tan cloaked man yelled something to his men and they went chasing the thug. The man in the cloak stayed behind and dismounted his horse. Slowly but surly he started walking towards me soon coming right in front of my hiding spot.

The last thing that was in this dream was what I saw and did. The cloak's hood that covered the man's face came off and reveled his long white hair with a pointed beard and a mustache to go with it. His eyes were a light shade of black but that was only one eye…the other was a gold one. A fake, gold, left eye that was creepy looking.

He offered his hand out to me and I don't remember taking it…I do remember telling him two words though. "Please Leave." That really showed my gratitude but the last thing I was going to do is trust a stranger with a horse.

-End-

There was a flash of darkness then the hurt came with the blinding light. The stupid sun's blinding light.

I shot up, expecting to be on the sand, by the rock, where Akunadin should have left me. Expecting to be there five years younger, and in the past five years of my life I just dreamed up. I was expecting it, but not hoping for it.

But when I woke up I was in my room, or the room I slept in at the palace for the past 5 years of my life. I was in my bed with the woven blanket that I made when I first came here, almost falling off the bed from me tossing and turning in my dream. I looked next to me where Mana and the Pharaoh were unexpectedly the ones who opened my window to let the blinding light in.

"Did you have to open the window?" I asked groggy. I fell back down on my bed with a THUD and threw my pillow over my face. Remembering the dream. _Sure…NOW I remember what happened…5 years later! And that's not even what the heck I wanted to know! I want to know that LAYLA LOOKED LIKE!_

"Are you OK?" Mana asked taking the pillow from me. I shot up trying to steal it back from her but she had it out of reach and I wasn't going to get out of bed. "We heard a scream from your room."

"Did you have a nightmare?" The pharaoh's strong voice asked concerned. He did that a lot towards me. But I didn't care; I just want him to be non-weird today…if that could happen.

"I…uh…don't remember" I lied. I didn't want to tell him that I gained a BIT of my memory of 5 years ago, and if he was acting weird, like yesterday, chances are he would just ask a load more questions.

They both gave me compelled looks. I just smiled innocently at them. We sat there with an awkward silence for a few seconds and then I asked the question that broke it all.

"Why were you guys down in this part of the wing anyway?" I asked looking at them their compelled looks rubbed off them and turned onto me. "There's nothing down here is there?"

"Actually Mahado was looking for you before he left, and Shimon wanted you to hurry up and get started on your morning chores."

"Why me?" I asked wanting to pull the blanket over my head but instead I got the pillow thrown back at me. Then I realized what the Pharaoh just said. "MOHADO'S LEAVING?" I yelled out. He covered his ears like sound just blasted at him…which in this case it did, but no one really cares about that do they?

"Yes." He said, by now Mana ran out to go talk to Mahado, my guess she had an appointment with him to that she completely forgot about. "He's going to go retrieve some of his power and use it to fight off Bakura?" he asked it in a state of a question, like he didn't get it himself.

"The rest of his power?" I thought on it. Mahado told me about that and what he didn't say I got out of Shimon. Basically Master Mahado had too much power for his own good so locked a majority of it away and now he was getting it back made since but not the last part. Why would he go after Bakura?

"I'm sure he'll be fine." The Pharaoh said reading my eyes. I looked at him and didn't say anything just looked. His purple eyes reminded me of when we WERE kids and I was in this same bed looking at him when he told me about Layla. Those were those same eyes.

After a short while the Pharaoh left and I got into my long tan-white dress thing and put my hair up the way I've been told to a million times. (The dress thing is sorta like Mana's `cept longer…like down to the knees longer.)

Finally after like a while longer after being told to I got out of my room and headed to Shimon first. That's where I got my first scolding of the day, about slacking off and coming when orders are given and blah blah blah blah blah.

I got my long list of chores that needed to be done that day, so I went to get see if Master Mahado was still here. On the way I had to pass Isis. I tried being really quiet, and I did. But I also tried to ignore what I heard in there, couldn't do that much.

I heard her talking to Shada about Mahado and how he might not return. I gulped. Then ran out of there just not as silently as I wanted to…Shada and Isis peaked out of their room and saw me dash by. _Well…there're two more scoldings!_

As I came towards the outside of the palace I could see Master Mahado and his men just leaving. Then that's when I heard Manna's voice. She was tugging on Master Mahado's cape like thing yelling out "TAKE ME MASTER PLEASE!"

Mahado kept walking I ran up and in front of him. He looked at me like I was about to get murdered…and he was the one who was going to do it if we didn't move our sorry little butts away. _Jeez Master Mahado stop acting like Seto!_

"Kakra, please get out of the way." He had a tense voice as if holding back every fiber I his body not to just walk away, which was good right now! The bad thing was, was I am not budging! When he tried to go around I followed. He wasn't going to get past me, not until I told him!

_This just may be the stupidest thing I have ever done and probably will ever do!_ I thought to myself_ but for his sake…it's got to be done…_

He sighed, "What do you two want from me?" He asked, making Mana end up next to me, and he starred at us both. Mana didn't know what I did so I let her go first. Though I think mine was more important. Basically she just begged him to come again.

"Isis said you may not come back…you'd be d-d-" I couldn't finish it. The picture of Master Mahado dead just didn't fit…he was basically like my father since I came here. "Please take us Master," I said getting down on my knees. "Just one of us at least…?" _okay official evidence here…this is the most pathetic thing I've ever done and will do._

Suddenly a man's hand reached down and pulled me up by the collar of my dress. Mahado drug me and Mana together once again. Making sure we were both paying attention before he talked. "Did Isis tell you that directly Kakra?" then he saw Isis waving him down. He gave me a look…the look that I really didn't want to see so I looked to the ground. "I'm going to guess that that's a no…" I looked up and gave him an innocent smile. He let out a sigh. Shaking his head. "I can't take you girls with me. Your magic's just not strong enough. You need more work on it. You're just going to get in the way." Mana left running towards the town but I didn't say anything. I just slightly tried heading back to my room but he stopped me before I could get very far (not fair!) He grabbed dressed bye the shoulder sleeve making it so when I took another step I fell to the ground.

"COME ON LET ME GO!" I said wanting the let me go to mean let me run away before you can scold me.

"I'll talk to you when I return." he said starring at me like I stole something out of the pharaoh's tomb.

"If you return," I mumbled under my breath then caught what I said. He glared at me and went off to talk to Isis before he left for good. I didn't think twice before I ran off and bumped into the Pharaoh.

Again with out thinking twice I just clung on to him and started crying. The surprise is…he let me. After I settled down a bit we went over by the gardens area, where I told him everything. About Isis's vision about Master Mahado, what I just said to him, and how I was getting about 20 scolding today.

Off in the distance we heard Mana yelling at a horse to pay attention. We ran up to her.

"MANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I yelled rushing up and grabbing the bag she was trying to throw on top of the horse's back.

"I'm going after Master Mahado!" she cried out. "He can't do it on his own."

"He's the master you realize," I said without thinking again. She glared at me.

"Mana I'll go," the Pharaoh piped up. "You need to stay here and protect this place for me."

"NO!" we both objected. "You're not going alone!" Mana said. "Take me with you!"

"B-b-b-but I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT!" I complained wanting to go save Master Mahado.

"I can't take both of you!"

"I came to you and told you about Isis vision!" I declared.

"I got the horse ready" Mana protested.

"I'm going to take Mana." I let out a disappointed 'uh!' and glared at him. "Sorry Kakra, but Mahado said himself that you were the lowest on your magic skills." I nodded reluctantly.

"I understand that! But I still need to go! WHAT IF BAKURA IS THERE?"

"Bakura?" Mana asked confused. "Who's he?"

"EXACTLY!" I yelled out. "She doesn't know!"

"I'll take Seto with me."

"WHAT?" _That is NOT what I was going for!_ I gave up and just watched as they rode off and then Seto followed.

I watched and prayed to Ra that they'd all be safe.

I did all my chores but consistently went back to the front of the palace where the Pharaoh would return. There was nothing for the longest time, until finally I saw a huge stone tablet in the distance.

"THEY'RE BACK!" I yelled out of pure joy. Shimon was behind me cringing when I yelled. I gave him a look that basically asked if I could greet them.

"You did your chores for today, go on." I ran up in front of Seto's horse as they stopped. The girl on the back of the horse was the same girl from that night…well last night I guess it was. I looked at her, she seeming to be glaring at the back of Master Seto's hat, and then away to the pharaoh and Mana.

"PHARAOH! MANA! HOW DID IT GO? Where's Master Mahado?" I looked behind them, hoping to see his horse but there was nothing. "Did he have to do something before he came back?"

No one said anything. I looked at each of them, all seeming like some one was dead…and someone WAS dead. The tears came from nowhere, they just appeared there and were rolling down my cheeks. The Pharaoh got off the horse and came up next to me. "You want to go lay down for a bit?"

I shook my head and we followed Master Seto and the girl to the throne room where I had a feeling that everyone was waiting for the arrival of Master Seto, the Pharaoh…and Master Mahado.

I walked slowly with Mana and we entered the gigantic throne room where, I was right, EVERYONE was. Isis flipped out when she saw the pharaoh but all we could do was put our heads down. Tears fell to the ground from where Mana and I stood.

"He's dead." the girl said smug like. I glanced at her, the familiarity was perfectly clear to me. "Serves the idiot right-" that's all I heard I got angry at her for the word choice.

"DON'T insult Master Mohado!" I screamed.

"Kakra, you stay OUT of this!" Master Seto yelled. I looked at him.

"Let her stand up for herself F-W-T-H." the girl stood up for me…wait…SHE STOOD UP FOR ME! Seto and her went on for a while about what F-W-T-H stood for (freak with the hat) and how she was being disrespectful or something like that.

I took a step forward. Master Shimon and Pharaoh reached out to grab me from getting closer but I got away from their grip. I looked the girl in her pale blue eyes. "Who ARE you?" I asked.

She took a bow and announced herself as "Kanika Queen of Thieves" I got pulled back by the pharaoh when we found she was no longer bound up by the ropes. Seto and her went on AGAIN about how she did that, how (you know what you read all this already lets just get to the trial…wait…I mean PAST the trial to the battle thing)

Kanika turned into a different person…or fox…or something. She had fox ears and red streaks in her white hair. I tried to stay away with Mana but didn't quite get to do that. The Pharaoh summoned something and it hit Kanika in the back of the head with out her realizing it. She was passed out and I didn't want her to hit her head so I ran and tried to catch her…it doesn't help that I trip on air.

I fell forward and basically tripped but I did it in the right place. Her head hit my back making me gasp a bit but that was nothing from what happened before. The Pharaoh smiled down at me. I looked up innocently.

"Lets put her in the cell where she can't cause any more problems." Seto ordered to the guards. The guards hurried and got her off of me and started walking off.

"WAIT!" I called, scrambling to my feet. The guards stopped as the whole room looked at me, _great_. "I-I think she deserves better then that." I looked at the knocked out Kanika. "You all heard Shada earlier…he said her soul was nothing but sorrow." I took my gaze off of everyone and then to the floor. "I don't know what kind of sorrow but I have a feeling I can relate to her…in some ways."

"She's right," I heard the Pharaoh's voice next to me. I looked up and to my not-so-much surprise he was there looking at me. "Give this girl one of the rooms for our guests."

"Bu-but Pharaoh, do you really expect-" Seto complained…it was obvious that he hated her as much as she seemed to hate him…maybe less but I don't know.

"Just do it." The pharaoh said and put his hand over his head has if he had a major headache. I smiled at him and mouthed out 'thank you'. He gave me a smile and I watched as the guards went off and gave Kakra a room.


	5. Layla 3

Hana: So this chapter...just kinda sucks . but hey its part of the story and it's funny in a way if you get past some of the depressing parts. Anyway here is the second to last chapter we have done...then we're stumped and actually go searching for inspiration again...so, sorry ahead of time...and next chapter I'll be putting a plethora of sorry's in this spot. But we will find time to continue it...when we're a lot older and in wheel chairs :D Mean while, enjoy chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

-As told by Layla-

I awoke to find myself in…I really nice room? Wait a second! Back up! Shouldn't I be in a _jail cell_? I mean I'm the freaking _Queen of Thieves_! It was embarrassing enough that I'd been caught (and knocked out) and now they do this to me!

"Hello Miss Kanika," a servant, who appeared out of nowhere, greeted, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

I let out a frustrated scream that echoed through the entire palace. The servant tried to calm me down, but I stormed out of the room only to run into (no not Seto though I would've loved that) that Kakra girl.

"Hey Miss Kanika how are you?" she asked politely.

"_Don't Miss Kanika me!_" I yelled, "_why are you people so freaking nice and polite to me? I'm a freaking outlaw!_"

"Miss Kanika please calm down," she whimpered.

"_NO! I will _not_ calm down!_" I screeched, "_Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?_"

"Being treated like royalty humiliated you?" Kakra asked shocked.

"_Yes! Yes it does! It does when I didn't earn it!_"

'Well what do want me to do?"

"Get me a prison cell! A beating! _Something!_"

"You-you want to be _punished_?"

"_Yes!_ Then at least I can somewhat accept this!"

"You-you're insane!"

"What's going on here?" the Pharaoh asked, slightly disturbed.

"Ph-pharaoh," Kakra stammered.

"You!" I yelled, "You no good son of a jackal! How _dare_ you put me is such a nice room!"

The Pharaoh had an astounded look on his face, "You don't like it?"

"No! I want proper treatment! Treat me like the thief I an dang it!"

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I believe that you're a good person. You don't deserve that kind of treatment."

I snorted. And they thought _I _was crazy.

"Besides, Seto would _love_ to see you behind bars."

That got me, "So Hat-boy doesn't like me getting treated like this?"

The Pharaoh smirked, "Nope."

"Great! Bring on the pampering!" I grinned. Anything to tick Seto off would make my day.

After taking a nice, long bath I put on some clean clothes and walked out of my room. Well, okay that Kakra girl came and needlessly apologized about before. She also told me I reminded her of someone. Briefly, I wondered if she really _was_ Sheriti. No, surely she'd at least _remember _me even a little bit. I look just a wee bit different from normal Egyptians. Surely she didn't forget what I _looked _like. Anyway, I needed some food and badly. Thinking takes a lot out of you. I hummed a lullaby my mom used to sing as I walked through hidden halls and passageways. Only instead of being in the kitchens, I found I'd wandered to the throne room. A duel was underway. Isis and Kalim were on one side and Seto and Shada were on the other. Unfortunately I came at the end, but I wanted to annoy Seto so I pretended I'd been there the whole time.

I clapped slowly and stepped into the light, "Congratulations Seto. I think you're almost as good as one of our most pathetic thieves."

I smirked as his face went from proud to annoyed.

"Do you have to ruin every moment of my life?" he yelled. Clearly I was special because he apparently didn't do this often.

"I-I annoy you?" I asked, faking sadness, "I-I'm s-so s-so-rry!"

I put my face in my hands and turned around so the couldn't see me bite my lip to hold back my laughter. I could feel my shoulders shake badly and the room seemed to get colder. No doubt Seto was being glared at.

I heard a sigh and Seto come up to me. He struggled with an apology. It was obviously the Pharaoh's doing. There was no way he'd drop his pride enough to apologize to me. As he continued to stumble over his words, I fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. I laughed so hard I almost cried. Seto looked really embarrassed and started glaring at me, but his blush killed the effect. I stood up, still laughing, and grabbed his shirt to try and stay steady. He blushed more.

Between bouts of laughter I managed to gasp, "I hate you! I can't believe you thought I cared! You're so dumb!"

He growled and was clearly sick of looking at me. Hat-boy grabbed my wrist and dragged me over to the dueling area. I just laughed harder.

"Diaha!" he yelled.

"You can't be serious!" I laughed, "You can't beat me!"

He growled and summoned Duos…again. Hiita won in two seconds…again. Seto gritted his teeth and summoned three creatures at once. The Pharaoh shouted a warning, but we both ignored him.

"Hiita now!" I shouted and she came back toward me. We both had our eyes clothed and our arms extended to either side. Hiita's body became translucent and melded with mine. The transformation began again and soon I had a tail and ears again.

I grinned and raced toward his creatures. They attacked and I easily dodged. I spun, jumped, ducked, and flipped; avoiding Seto's attacks was easy. Soon I was behind Seto's monsters, and everyone looked astounded. A gust of flame flew from my staff as I whirled it around to attack the beasts from behind. They were out quickly and I faced Seto again. I twirled my staff expertly, and then pointed the still-ignited end at Seto's head.

"I win," I stated with an expression somewhere between a smirk and a grin.

Hat-boy glared at me from his kneeling position on the floor. He looked tired, but, then again, Ba loss will do that to you.

I released the fusion magic I used and turned and smirked at the pharaoh.

"Your priest here really sucks!" I told him in a sugary voice.

"H-how did you do that?" Kakra asked.

"Bakura taught me," I told her, but now I wasn't in such a good mood. After all, I was still a prisoner. I sighed and walked past the pharaoh and back into the passage I'd originally come from.

I walked into a corridor that led to a dead end and sat down. I leaned back against the wall and looked up at the grimy ceiling.

"I really miss Bakura," I thought, "Wonder where he is. He's such an idiot. Getting himself stuck like that."

I could feel the moisture building up in my eyes as I remembered some of the times I'd had with him. Namely, just before he attacked Mahado.

_"Hey 'Kura! What're you doing?" I asked._

_The thief jumped and glared at me._

_"Kanika you idiot!" he hissed, "Be quiet!"_

_"Sorry," I whispered, "What are you doing?"_

_He leaned closer to me and told me he was waiting for Mahado to enter the cave._

_I gagged, "Ew! What the hack have you been eating? Your breath reeks!"_

_He shook his head at my very unprofessional behavior, and held up a half-eaten onion._

_"Ew! Onion breath!" I cried._

_Hey, when did I ever claim to have a professional attitude, much less be mature?_

I couldn't help but chuckle at that memory. It was the last time I'd really seen him.

"Miss Kanika?" I heard a soft voice ask, "Are you ok?"

It was Kakra.

"How'd you find me?" I asked. There was no way I'd left a trail.

"I don't really know. Instinct I guess," she replied.

"Takes more'n instinct to find me," Muttered, "More like a telepathic connection."

"Huh?" Kakra asked.

"Never mind," I answered, "Let's get outta here."

I lead Kakra through many, random, twisting corridors.

"Um, where are we going?" Kakra asked.

"Dunno, where d'you want to go?" I asked back.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Kakra screeched, "We could be lost down here forever."

"Calm down. I said I didn't know where we were going. I know where we are," I said.

"THAT MAKES NO SENSE!" she screamed in hysterics, "Oh Ra, we're gonna die!"

"We're not gonna die," I growled, "I'm hungry so I'm going to the kitchens. Follow if you want."

Soon we were in the kitchens. Yes, I said "we". Kakra decided that it was a good idea to follow me after all.

"Wow," she gasped, "You really know you're way around here!"

"Well yeah," I retorted sarcastically, "I'm not the Thief Queen for nothing!"

Kakra blushed and hurriedly tried to apologize, "S-sorry! I-I didn't mean-"

"Relax," I said with a laugh, "Besides, you _should _be surprised. This is only my second time in the palace!"

"Wha-what?"

"You'd be amazed how detailed our maps are. The pharaoh himself probably doesn't know his own bed chamber better than me!" I bragged, "Ok, that came out weird, but it's not like he's special or anything. I've memorized the blueprints for this entire place!"

"Wow! Really?" she asked astonished.

"Wow, she's easy to impress," I thought, "She must not get out much. Oh well, I don't get to show off often. Bakura always one-ups me…this could be fun!"

I went over and took some of the food that was prepared for dinner. The servants said nothing.


	6. Sheriti 3

_Hana:_ I think I'm dubbing this day update day :D! This is the last finished chapter and I will personally force Kura to get inspiration again! Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged here we come!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

-As Told by Sheriti-

"You know you were way over nice to that girl, Kakra." Mana pointed out as if what had happened totally surprised her.

"Kanika." I said refusing to call her girl, outcast, thief, or any form that put her lower then me. I felt different like I knew her…somehow. "Plus do you really think I would want to watch another person rot in the cell."

"Bakura would come after her if he weren't dead."

"He's dead?"

"I don't think so but everyone else but that gir-er-Kanika does" I gave her a thank you look and kept walking with proper clothes and everything to put in Kanika's room. "And if he IS dead, what problems will we have anymore."

"A lot…" I had a feeling that nothing was over. "Hey Mana?"

"What?"

"Do you think you could help me out with my magic later this afternoon…you know like a spar type thing?"

"That would help us both I think, seeing that…" she trailed off and I walked a bit faster as I did when I was upset. She walked faster. "Where are you going exactly?"

"To Kanika's room to give her fresh clothes." I smiled "we don't need to treat her like a thief when she's here, though she might not like it."

"Well I'll go get things ready for this afternoon I guess."

"Alright," I said and smiled when she left. Then turned forward, heard a very loud scream, and saw Kanika standing in front of me.

"Ah…hi Miss Kanika." I jumped a bit. She glared at me. "Uh…how are you feeling?"

"_Don't Miss Kanika me!_" she screamed at me, "_why are you people so freaking nice and polite to me? I'm a freaking outlaw!_"

"Miss Kanika please calm down," I could hear the whining in my voice.

"_NO! I will _not_ calm down!_" She was screeching now, "_Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?_"

"Being treated like royalty humiliated you?" I was shocked now, _how is this humiliating…I thought she would like it_.

"_Yes! Yes it does! It does when I didn't earn it!_"

"Well what do want me to do?"

"Get me a prison cell! A beating! _Something!_"

"You-you want to be _punished_?"

"_Yes!_ Then at least I can somewhat accept this!"

"You-you're insane!"

Then a figure came up behind me and Kanika looked up at it. "You…" she hissed.

Her and Pharaoh went back 'n' forth about pretty much what her and I did…about not getting proper punishment. When she learned it was Seto's wanting of her in behind bars…she gladly accepted the clothes I had for her and the bath that got ready for her. _Wow that was way harder then it needed to be…oh well what ever floats her boat I guess_.

I smiled at the pharaoh, how he did things so smoothly was beyond me. "She shouldn't complain any more." He said, "I have to go get some things sorted out, if you'd excuse me." I nodded and he left. I realized what time of day it was and started rushing through everything.

Getting done with all my chores I finally got enough done that I could get a free time. I went to give Kanika a final check and an apology.

She was just getting done with everything, I knew cause when I knocked on the door she yelled out and told me to freakin' hold my horses.

The door opened and Kanika was there staring at me. "Oh, its you, Kakra right?" she asked a little more calm then earlier this morning.

"Yeah." I smiled. She just looked at me. "I came back to apologize for earlier."

"Apologize?"

"Yeah. I didn't know you wanted a…well…"

"Proper treatment?"

"Sure?" I answered in question form. She laughed a bit at my obvious stupidity. "Well, that's all I really wanted to say, I better get going-"

"Sure." I looked at her with out going anywhere. She just stared at me. "Are you going to go?"

"Um…I just want to say one thing…" I gulped not knowing if this was going to sound completely moronic…or totally the right thing that I want to say. "I just was thinking…you remind me of someone…I think…"

"You think?"

"Yeah…I guess I just don't remember that well of what happened." _great…came out totally moronic!_ "sorry, I got to go meet someone." I turned around and yelled out "BYE!"

Mana was out on the outskirts of town where Master Mahado went out and we would train. She was just sitting there glaring at me, next to a bush. "Hey! Sorry I'm-"  
"You're late"

"And your acting like Master Mahado right now"

"Hey if we're going to do this right I should! So am I doing it right?"

"Perfectly" I smiled missing Master Mahado but Mana was giving her best.

"Okay, lets see, our first spell should be easy…like…um…MAKING THAT PLANT GROW!" she said pointing at the bush with her wand.

"THAT'S EASY?" I yelled staring at the bush. I was never good at growth or plant spells, how the heck do I mix the two…_THIS IS GOING TO TURN OUT HORRIBLE!_

"Sure! I'll try first" she swung her wand and mumbled a spell and a fireball came out and made the bush burn.

"MANA!"

"Uh…I can fix that!"

"PUT IT OUT!" I screamed throwing sand on it…that didn't work out very well.

"Um…" she mumbled another spell but then it just put something that made the flame grew larger. "oops"

"um...how 'bout this, WE STOP DOING SPELLS!" I looked at the growing flame "We need to go get help." I said about to run into the town to get someone that could poor water…wow, am I dumb!

"No! I can fix it! I know I can!" Mana kept chanting spells that made the flame spread, grow even more, or basically did nothing. "Maybe this will help." She pulled out her 5 thousand-page spell book.

"By time you find a spell in that we will be dead!" I said. "Let me take care of it there is one spell that I know I can do perfectly."

"What's that?" she asked confused, _hey that's rude! I may not be good but I can do A spell! _

"Yes! I can!" I yelled then mumbled something in a different language then whispered out "Eria come on come out please." Suddenly a girl about my size, with water blue hair that went down to her legs and pale blue eyes (like Kanika's) appeared. She was wearing a tan coat like thing, a green shirt and a skirt underneath the coat, with blue ribbon with ancient writing on it. She was holding a staff that had a water droplet and was surrounded by pretty, blue leaves held by her hands that were wearing brown fingerless gloves.

"Uh…Eria…could you uh…" I pointed to the out of control fire. She smiled and nodded. She sent her little green dragon thing to the center of the fire. She moved her staff and the dragon thing grew a bit. She touched a small part of the flames and the dragon blew out a load of water and the fire was nothing but smoke now.

"Thank you Eria." I smiled and she nodded "You can go now if you wish" she slowly knelt down and hummed. As she hummed her spirit rose and landed in me. It didn't fell that well but I didn't mind it much now. I loved Eria and if I was separated from her, sure I would be dead. If I DIDN'T die, I would feel empty…

"How-How did you…HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

"It's just my ka…" I said. "Mahado taught me how to make her come out with out a tablet thing."

"WHY?"

"Cause I got lonely at night…and I was basically scared to go up to the pharaoh when I had a problem…and Master Mahado seemed busy every time I actually felt like talking about stuff."  
"You coulda came to me…"

"Yeah…but I just basically wanted to stay in the palace the time he taught me how to do that." I said.

"So why didn't you do that when this 'Bakura' guy was attacking the pharaoh?"

"I need peace when summoning Eria…or I need to get myself calm enough to do it myself…she can come out on her own too she just does it when I'm in danger."

"Weren't you in danger at the palace last night?"

"Uh…not exactly…"

"So he attacked everyone BUT you?"

"He…uh…didn't exactly see me."

"What?" she yelled, "How…wait…were you hiding behind the throne again?"

"Lets go back to the palace shall we?" I started trotting towards town and to the palace; I swore I heard Mana mumble, "Yep…she did." HEROICALLY! I DID IT HEROICALLY!

We got to the palace where I randomly wandered in the first place I could think of…and basically I was arguing with Mana on how I was HEROICALLY hiding, that I sorta bumped, and fell, into the Pharaoh.

"Uh…oh…" I think this is the first time in history…or the five years that I have known him that I think I actually ran into him…literally. "Sorry Pharaoh."

He reached out his hand, which I took without thinking twice about it. "Its alright Kakra." Then he turned his head back to the duel.

"Isn't that…" the Pharaoh nodded. I looked at the girl further "facing…" the pharaoh nodded more.

"THAT'S AWESOME!" Mana yelled out, I took a double take on what was going on…it looked like Kanika ended up becoming her monster…wait…rewind…BECOMING her MONTSER?

The battle ended with Kanika pointing her monsters staff at Seto snickering that she won. Seto looked weak so I ran and got him something to drink…well after Shimon told me to do so.

I gave Master Seto the drink and ran up to Kanika. "HOW THE HECK DID YOU DO THAT?" she explained that Bakura taught her…but that's all…then she wandered off…again. She did that a lot. I followed her after a few minutes of silence in the throne room. I could feel the stares/glares (from Seto) I was getting for following her. I didn't care though.

After about five minutes of searching I found her in a hallway that looked weird…well weird cause I've never been down that particular hallway. We talked and she brought up a very interesting point…how DID I find her? I shrugged and followed her as she was wondering around the halls. She basically got us LOST. Though she swore she know where we were. We continued to talk and she commented that she was heading to the kitchen to get some food. She told me to follow if I wished. I thought about it for a bit.

If I follow…nothing will happen other then I'll get to know her more. If I stay down here I'm doomed until the Pharaoh or any of the priest or priestesses found I was missing and came to get me…I sorta like the first plan…it just sounds better.

So I followed her. Weirdly but surly we got to the kitchens in no time. Is that even possible? SHE knows this place better then I do and I've LIVED here for five years.

"You know this is only my second time." she commented. I felt my eyes go as big as the serving plates in the kitchen. "Yep only the second time." She took a bite out of the dinner that was sitting out ready to be served.


	7. Quick AN

Hana_:_ So I decided, us here at F F dot Net are going to make a difference. A LARGE portion of this site is based in the Anime/Manga section, and where does a majority of our Anime/Manga come from?

Don't raise all your hands up at once...

JAPAN!

Yes the mighty Japan who has gone through a tremendous tragedy, and still suffering from it! Well, if you are anything like me, you've been wondering what you could do to help, and now I've got an answer!

The Bezos family (yes, the guy who created amazon's family.) is calling for all origami folders and wanting to collect 100,000 paper cranes! and if you are at all familiar with the story of a paper crane, that is 100 wishes! they will donate 2 dollars for each crane and if they hit their goal that is $200k!

Yes this is amazing, yes you can do it!

What? Not an origami genius (or simply can't do it)...neither could I. if you go onto my deviant page (which the link is in our profile) and look at my journal, you can see a website. This website gives you the address and how to even make the crane! fun and easy. make one, make ten, make ten thousand (then you would get 10 wishes :) ) but however much you make have fun doing something for a great cause!

Let's show the world what a bunch of anime fans can do for an entire country! :)


	8. AN update: relief effort

Hana_:_ Okay, update time! So back in the begging of April I posted a thing about the Bezos family and paper-cranes. Well here's me (several months later) finally giving you the results (if you haven't seen them already)

The results were breath-taking! They were receiving paper-cranes for over a week and collected over 700,000 paper cranes total from people all over the world. So they added another dollar amount per crane. so 3 x 700,000. well pulling out my handy dandy calculator that is right up there with $210,000.

THAT'S NOT ALL!

The Bezos family was so impressed by the people around the world. They matched it.

210,000 x 2 is 420,000.

so pretty much just by this fundraiser, Save the Children (Japan) collected over half a million dollars.

To me that is pretty epic :)

if you did something to help out the relief effort send us a pm, or leave us a comment! I want to hear/read as many amazing stories. And I'll even go as far as make another one of these author notes with each of your stories in them (no names of course). :) who knows maybe Kura and I will come up with a little prize that makes us go "omgsh you really did that":) (no guarantee though)

We've made a difference. that's huge in and of itself.


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